How rapidly is temperature increasing due to global warming?

Answers

Earth’s climate has changed numerous times throughout its history. According to the EPA, “human civilization arose during a period of relative climate stability”, with the industrial era being one of the times that has interrupted this stability. For the past 100 years or so, global temperature has risen considerably.

According to the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), global surface temperature has increased by about 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit since the beginning of the 20th century. Fluctuations in temperature are noted year to year, but “the 20 warmest years have all occurred since 1981, and the 10 warmest have all occurred in the past 12 years”, per the NCDC. The oceans are also heating up, due to rising sea levels and thermal expansion.